Discover Your Team Recognition Nature

An important part of any team dynamic is to ensure that
team members are working and communicating well together, leveraging the
gifts and talents of their teammates and thus growing into their full
potential. Healthy team dynamics centered around respect and recognition
are cornerstones to seeing this recognition concept go from gently suggested
to a completely natural event. Recognition when done peer to peer
builds great confidence as a team and is at the heart of true synergy.

The Gift of Recognition

We all enjoy receiving gifts regardless of the reason, to be on the receiving
end of a gift is a wonderful experience. We need to understand
that recognizing another person when done in an appropriate
and relevant way carries this same positive experience.

Initially it may be hard for some individuals to give recognition but
once they are on the receiving end of genuine recognition they will have
a model of how to give recognition to those around them. Like anything,
giving recognition may take some practice, but it's better to error on
the side of giving than not to give at all.

The Team Recognition Nature Tool

The Team Recognition Nature tool which you can download from here (XLS | ZIP) allows a manager to compile the results of their teams recognition styles into one tool which provides insights into the teams overall Recognition Nature. This will provide great insight into how that manager should be observing the team expressing sincere recognition to one another. It will also highlight gaps where the Team Recognition Nature is at lower intensities for some people and how these individuals may appreciate recognition from the manager to ensure they are receiving positive affirmation and recognition as it applies to them.

To utilize the Team Recognition Nature tools, simply enter the results provide by each member of your team as they filed out the Individual Recognition Style Survey. The tool will chart the results and quickly give you helpful feedback as to where the overall team Recognition Nature is. The results of this tool may also be helpful to the team as it provides valuable insight into each of the members and how individuals can reach out to their teammates to support and encourage them in a positive way.

Exceeding the Sum of It's Parts

It's my opinion that a team which can recognize the strengths, talents and accomplishments of one another will far exceed the collective sum of the individuals talents. The leader is a critical part of this dynamic as they give permission and model to a team how to operate in this way by openly and freely communicating that all persons have strengths and weaknesses even within their team. Once a team begins to understand this concept and they trust their leader enough to apply it, the benefits of this understanding should begin to manifest.